Breaking: CHP chase from Oakland ends in South Berkeley

Officers arrested a female and recovered both drugs and a gun during a stop in South Berkeley on Friday night. Photo: Dean C. Smith / ABC7

South Berkeley residents near King and Prince streets reported a heavy law enforcement presence Friday night, along with the sound of helicopters in the area of the Ashby BART station around 7:45 p.m.

Residents in the area reported a helicopter and “lots of police” in South Berkeley.

One resident said the activity was centered around the 3100 block of King Street, where a car had been abandoned near Malcolm X Elementary School.

Residents who reached the Berkeley Police Department were told that the CHP was involved in a pursuit in the area.

Another resident reported on Twitter that a suspect had been apprehended and taken away. The abandoned car was searched, then towed. CHP reported “no remaining threat” as of 8:16 p.m.

California Highway Patrol officer Sean Wilkenfeld, the Oakland-area CHP spokesman, said the chase began around 7 p.m. on Golf Links Road, at Castlewood Street, when a vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign.

The chase continued on westbound I-580 to Highway 24. Wilkenfeld said a CHP helicopter tracked the vehicle into South Berkeley, allowing officers on the ground to abandon their pursuit in the interest of public safety.

Police responded to King and Prince streets, to the area where the car had been abandoned. Berkeley Police officers helped set up a perimeter, and authorities arrested one person associated with the vehicle in connection with a weapons violation.

A second person from the vehicle managed to get away, said Wilkenfeld.

He said the vehicle had not been reported stolen, but had no license plates when authorities found it. The investigation is continuing.

Update, Feb. 1:ABC7 cameraman Dean C. Smith, who was on the scene, told Berkeleyside that a female was arrested, and that officers recovered drugs and a gun during their investigation.

This story was updated shortly after publication with additional information from the California Highway Patrol.

Gee I wonder which house this guy was heading for. Hardly the first time a car chase with Oakland cops ended on a south Berkeley street with the offender dumping the car and running through yards to reach a safe house.

One time I witnessed a shoot out between OPD and a robber right out on the sidewalk in front of my house. His partner had run to hide in a house on McGee, the cops found her naked in the bathtub.

A high-speed chase and a helicopter for a drug bust? As for the guns, they’re available everywhere.
Welcome to Amerika post 1984. It will be even more exciting when some of our local police agencies have drones. The drug houses can go BOOM.

southberkeleyres

I live near the commotion. Just returned from 10 days in Arizona, where I saw not one piece of litter or graffiti, nor did I hear a single siren. Just came in from picking up litter along the sidewalk strip on one side of my home and filled half of a plastic grocery bag with trash such as chip bags. Interesting that those who eat junk food disrespect the neighborhood by littering, maybe they have little self respect. Maybe it’s good our schools are trying to teach healthy eating and respect for healthy food/ one’s body. Could it even result in less litter? One can hope.
At least I’m glad to be back in our moist air.

Chas Radley

I hope the CHP and OPD officers had the opportunity to give the wonderful driver of the car a good pistol whipping or some other form of physical punishment befitting the driver’s lack of concern for public safety. I’m not recommending anything outside the law that could be construed as a violation of the citizen’s rights. If there were more than a half dozen broken bones, I would imagine a temporary letter-of-reprimand could possibly find its way into an officer’s file. However, the warm congratulations of the public and an appreciative letter-of-commendation would offset any disappointment.

Chas Radley

Yeah, brilliant statement, guest. I like how you ignorantly use the word “suspect”, as if there were some question as to the driver’s part in the crime, a crime that put countless people’s lives in jeopardy. Too bad the driver’s car didn’t make contact with you or your family, seeing as how you want to treat these types of criminals with kid gloves. He’ll be back on the streets in no time. Maybe you can contact him down at OPD lockup. You have the perspective of a six-year-old.